Retaining device for gun-barrel hand-protectors.



No. 814,664. PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906 J. Y. BASSELL & F. G. BLENKNER.

RETAINING DEVICE FOR GUN BARREL HAND PROTECTORS.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 14, 1905.

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JOHN Y. BASSELL AND FRED O. BLENKNER, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

RETAINING DEVICE FOR GUN-BARREL HAND-PROTECTORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 13, 1906.

Application filed October 14,1905. Serial No. 282,715.

T0 at whom it may conceive.-

Be it known that we, JOHN Y. BASSELL and FRED C. BLENKNER, citizens of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Retaining Devices for Gun-Barrel Hand-Protectors, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to new and useful improvements in retaining devices for gunbarrel hand-protectors.

Heretofore hand-protectors such as are commonly used on double-barrel shotguns have given much trouble, and therefore have been more orless unsatisfactory. Unless some means is provided for retaining the handprotector in place the recoil resultingfrom the repeated discharges of the gun will cause the protector to ride toward the muzzle end of the gun, so that the shooter is not only required to return it to its proper place, but he loses his shooting position, as his hand grasping the protector is of course moved forward with the same. If his shooting position is affected, the accuracy of his aim is of course spoiled. Devices have been provided for holding the hand protector in place; but these devices have always been limited to use in connection with one size of hand-protector, and as the hand-protectors are made of various lengths it is obvious that a separate retaining or fastening device must be provided for each protector.

It is therefore the object of our invention to provide a device for retaining the handprotector in place and to so construct the said device as to make it adjustable to suit protectors of various lengths.

Another feature is to provide a simple fas tening means 011 the device, so that the protector may be readily fastened in place or unfastened, so as to be quickly removed.

with the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel details of construction and operation, a preferable embodiment of which is described in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the barrels and the forearm of a double-barrel shotgun, showing the hand-protector and our retaining device applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an under side view of the parts shown in Fig. 1, the fore-arm being removed. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line at w of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4

is a partial perspective view of the retaining j side view of the spring-fastener and a portion of the strip to which it is connected. Fig. 7 is a sideelevation of the same. Fig. S-is a longitudinal sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is an elevation of the end of one of the strips, showing the fastening-stud thereon; and Fig. 10 is a plan view of the same.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates the double barrels of an ordinary shotgun, which are connected in the usual way, which provides a groove or recess 2 between their under sides. The fore-arm 3 is secured to the locking-lug 4 by the spring hook-latch 5 in the usual manner, so that by manipulating the latch 5 the fore-arm may be readily detached. The hand-protector 6, which is usually formed of a suitable metal and appropriately covered, is shaped to fit snugly about the under side and sides of the gun-barrels 1, with which it has frictional engagement. The hand-protector on its under side and at its rear end is provided with an opening 6 in which the forward end of the fore-arm is snugly received. The parts which have been so far described are of the ordinary and usual construction and form no part of our invention.

As hereinbefore mentioned, the recoil from the repeated discharges of the barrels causes the protector, which is generally secured in place merely by its frictional contact with the barrels, to be moved forward. This forward movement of the protector is involuntarily done by the hand and forearm of the gunner. Our device for retaining the protector in place comprises a bar or strip section 7, which is provided at one end with an enlarged head 8, having a rectangular slot 9. The slot 9 is adapted to receive the lug 4 of the gun-barrel, while the strip-section 7 extends forward in the groove 2. The strip is formed of a suitable flexible metal, so as to accommodate itself to the irregular surfaces over which it extends and to permit ofits be ing slightly depressed in the groove 2 when the fore-arm is placed in position after the 50 lines also in Fig. 1.

head 8 has been engaged over the lug 4. The strip-section 7 extends forward some distance beyond the fore-arm and between the gunbarrels and the hand-protector (3'. A plurality 5 of transverselyelongated openings or apertures 10 are provided in the forward end of the strip, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Quite a number of these openings 10 are provided and arranged closely together, so as to pero mit a comparatively fine adjustment, as will be hereinafter described' A fastening-strip 11 of the same character and quality as the strip 7 is provided at its rear end with a headed stud 12, the said 5 headed portion being elongated longitudinally of the strip, so that by turning the strip 11 at right angles to the strip 7 the headed portion of the stud 12, which is of substantially the same size as the individual openings 10, may be inserted in any one of the openings and by again turning the stirp 11 so that it lies in line with the strip 7 the ends of the said strips are securely fastened together, the headed portion of the stud 12 2 extending across the opening 10 and preventing disengagement, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The strip 11 is secured to the under side of the strip 7, so as to lie next to the protector 6. At its forward end the strip is so formed o 'as to provide wings 12, which are turned down and oppositely disposed. These wings constitute a portion of a fastening which comprises a spring-leaf 13, having its rear end slightly turned down and provided with up 5 wardly-turned cars 14, which project between the wings 12 and are pivotally mounted on a pin 15 passing therethrough. At its forward end the leaf 13 is provided with an r upwardly-curved projection 16, which engages with the downwardly-curved end of a flat spring 17, the said spring 17 extending down through the bifurcated portion 18, pro vided at the end of the strip 11. The spring 17 is securely fastened to the upper side of the strip 11 and serves to hold the leaf 13 in to be freely slid on and off the barrels.

In placing the retaining device in position the headed stud 12 is engaged in the proper opening 10, so that the wings 12 will abut the forward end of the protector 6. The

spring-leaf 13 is thrown up against the under side of the protector and acts more especially to hold the strip 11 and the wings 12 in contact therewith. The head 8 of the strip 7, engaging with the lug 4 through its slot 9,

5 5 securely holds the device in place, so that it is impossible for the hand-protector to creep or to be moved forward on the barrels. It is obvious that the device may be lengthened or shortened by engaging the headed stud 12 with the different openings 10, so that handprotectors of various lengths may be accom modated.

In some instances where extremely long hand-protectors are used an cxtension-section 19, as shown in Fig. 4, is provided. This extension carrying at one end a headed stud 12 like the stud 12 of the strip 11 is provided at its opposite end with a plurality of openings 10 like the openings 10. The headed stud 12 is engaged with the proper opening 10 of the strip 7, while the headed stud 12 of the strip 11 is engaged with one of the openings 10 of the extension. In this way a device of suitable length is provided and any adjustment may be had by engaging the studs with the proper openings.

It is obvious that various forms of fastenings may be provided on the end of the strip 11 and that the invention consists of two or more strips or sections having adjustable engagement with each other and one of said strips being secured in fixed relation to the gun-barrels.

Having now fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with the barrels of a shotgun and a handprotector arranged thereon, of longitudinally-adjustable means for retaining the hand-protector in position.

2. The combination with the barrels of a shotgun and ahand-protector arranged there on, of extensible means for retaining the hand-protector in position.

3. The combination with the barrels of a shotgun and a hand-protector arranged thereon, of an extensible retaining device having one end secured to the barrels and the other end engaged with the hand-protector.

4. The combination with the barrels of a shotgun and a hand-protector arranged thereon, of an extensible retaining device having one end secured to the barrels and the other end engaged with the hand-protector, and a fastening device carried by the retaining device and engaging with the hand-protector.

5. The combination with the barrels of a shotgun and a hand-protector arranged thereon, of a longitudinally-adjustable retaining device having one end secured to the .barrels and the other end engaged with the handprotector.

6. The combination with the barrels of a shotgun and a hand-protector arranged there on, of a retaining device comprising adjustably-connected sections, one of which is connected in fixed relation to the barrels and the other having engagement with the hand-protector.

7. The combination with the barrels of a shotgun and a hand-protector arranged thereon, of a retaining device comprising adjustably-connected sections, one of which is connected in fixed relation to the barrels and the other having engagement with the hand-protector, and a fastening carried by the lastnamed section adapted to engage With the hand-protector.

In testimony whereof we affix our signaturesln presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN Y. BASSELL. FRED C. BLENKNER.

Witnesses:

A. L. PHELPS, M. B. SoHLEY. 

